George Karlaftis has taken a step forward and deserves his due
Looking at how the 2nd-year defensive end helped the Chiefs overcome the Bengals and squash a comeback attempt and how he's added to his pass rush plan.
If your nickname is Furious George, you better play the position with a certain amount of… well, furiousness.
And George Karlaftis, the Chiefs’ second-year defensive end who passed 10 sacks last week (10.5, to be precise), fits the bill. The former water polo player seems to have absolutely endless energy, playing every snap with a consistent energy that rivals Isiah Pacheco on the other side of the ball. Playing against him looks exhausting if for no other reason than he never stops moving no matter what is happening around him.
Last season, Steve Spagnuolo was able to harness that energy (along with Karlaftis’s natural strength and athleticism) into a productive player despite limitations in his overall pass rush plan and lack of bend. This year, Karlaftis has taken a step forward in a way that has shown up on the stats sheet.
That includes Sunday in the division-clenching win over the Bengals, where Karlaftis made his presence felt on 3rd down and crucial moments multiple times.
This 3rd and 17 sack (which was aided by the down/distance and coverage, to be sure) is a good example of the problem Karlaftis can create for offensive tackles when he has some space to work with. Former Chief Orlando Brown is well-equipped to deal with Karlaftis’s strength given Brown’s hulking frame and long arms. But Karlaftis is more than just a power rusher, and despite his lack of bend has good ability to change direction and explode inside, all while frantically fighting off Brown’s arms. The end result? A crucial sack on a crucial down.
But Karlaftis’s impact in the game wasn’t just sacks he collected or even just on 3rd down. Let’s look at some of the impact plays he made against the Bengals and how they show his value as a complementary pass rusher.